Kirikou et la sorcière (1998)

Director:

Michel Ocelot

Writer:

Michel Ocelot (writer)

Release Date:

18 February 2000 (USA)

Genre:

Animation | Adventure | Family

Tagline:

Can Kirikou save his village from a terrible curse?

Plot:

In a little village somewhere in Africa, a boy named Kirikou is born. But he's not a normal boy, because he knows what he wants very well...

Plot Keywords:

Village | Sorceress | Africa | Warrior | Fetishism

Awards:

11 wins & 1 nomination

Cast

Doudou Gueye Thiaw	...	Kirikou enfant (voice)
Maimouna N'Diaye	...	La Mère (voice)
Awa Sene Sarr	...	Karaba (voice) (as Awa Sène Sarr)
Robert Liensol	...	Le Sage dans la montagne (voice) (as Robert Lionsol)
William Nadylam	...	Kirikou jeune homme (voice) (as William Nadylam-Yotnda)
Sebastien Hebrant	...	Kirikou jeune homme (voice) (as Sébastien Hébrant)
Thilombo Lubambu	...	L'Oncle (voice) (as Tshilombo Lubambu)
Marie Augustine Diatta	...	La Femme forte (voice)
Moustapha Diop	...	Fétiche sur le toît (voice) (as Mouhamadou Moustapha Diop)
Isseu Niang	...	La Femme maigre (voice)
Selly Raby Kane	...	La Grande Fille (voice)
Erick Patrick Correa	...	Le Grand Garçon (voice)
Adjoua Barry	...	La Fille moyenne (voice)
Charles Edouard Gomis Correa	...	Le Garçon moyen (voice)
Marie-Louise Shedeye Diiddi	...	La Petite Fille (voice)

Also Known As:

Kirikou and the Sorceress (USA)
Kirikou en de heks (Belgium: Flemish title) (TV title)

Runtime:

74 min

Country:

France | Belgium | Luxembourg

Language:

French

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.66 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby SR

Certification:

Iceland:L | Australia:G | South Korea:All | Argentina:Atp | Chile:TE | Finland:K-7/5 | France:U | Germany:o.Al. | Peru:PT | Spain:T | Sweden:Btl | Switzerland:0 (canton of Geneva) | Switzerland:7 (canton of Vaud) | UK:U

Company:

Les Armateurs

Trivia:

Director Trademark: [Michel Ocelot] [silhouettes] In one scene Kirikou's mother is seen as a solid black silhouette backlit by fire; later in the film, Kirikou himself, for the entirety of the underground tunnel scenes, is rendered as a black silhouette with only the whites of his eyes and teeth showing.

Quotes:

Kirikou: [they, along with the rest of the village, are watching a woman's house burning to the ground] Why don't we help?
The Mother: The Sorceress took away our well, Kirikou, and the water hole is too far.
[the burning house collapses]

Movie Connections:

Followed by Kirikou et les bêtes sauvages (2005)

Soundtrack:

Kirikou

A fascinating animation of an African legend

"Kirikou and the Sorceress" (1998 - 71 minutes) is a Franc-Belgian animation of highest quality, based on a Western Africa traditional legend. Written and directed by Michel Ocelot tells the history of Kiriku, a very small boy who already spoke when still in his mother belly. His fate: to face the powerful and evil Karabá sorceress, who dried the water source of his village, swallowed all the men who went to fight her and that still caught all the gold they had. To achieve his goals, Kiriku has to face many dangerous situations and venture for places where only a very small person could enter. At first, his tribe laughs at his small size, delaying to recognize his courage, brightness and wisdom. But Kiriku faces the power of the sorceress and her guardians, while the others can only fell fear of her. Kiriku goes to consult the wise old man of the mountain, who knows the secret of Karabá and, after that, goes to face the terrible sorceress. According to Michel Ocelot his film is a great chance to show to the African people some of their values. The script runs away from the obvious situations, has captivating characters and sound track signed by the Senegalian Yossou N ' Dour. A fascinating story of determination in the fight for freedom.